January 20, 1994
The Honorable David Adkisson, Mayor
City of Owensboro
City Hall
Owensboro, KY. 42301
Dear Mayor Adkisson,
This letter outlines the actions taken on behalf of the
Owensboro Sister Cities program during the calendar year 1993. As you are
already aware this has been a pivotal year for this initiative.
In March, I attended the Kentucky Sister Cities Forum in
Louisville. The program was both to bring the Kentucky Sister Cities
representatives together and to apprise us of the plans for the upcoming Sister
Cities International Conference to be held in Louisville from July 26 - 30,
1994. It is hoped you will make every effort to attend this conference along
with other members of our local committee. Burley Phelan has been asked to plan
on having an Owensboro Tourism booth at the conference.
In July, I attended the Sister Cities International
Conference in Houston. Contacts were made either directly or with persons having
an interest in establishing Sister City relationships in: France (Laval),
Germany (Cottbus), Argentina, China, Ecuador, Italy (Cherasco), Ukraine (Ivano
Frankivsk, Truskavets, Drohobych), and the Czech Republic (Olomouc, Pilsen,
Pisek). The most promising of these contacts were with the Mayor of Cherasco,
Italy (we received an invitation to visit and, you had previously met him in
Chicago) and with the Mayor of Olomouc, Czech Republic (who left a note and
literature declaring his interest in making contact with Owensboro). Material on
Owensboro was given to most of the above, those who wished were able to view the
Owensboro Chamber of Commerce video that I took along.
Contact has since been made with Laval, France and letters
were also written and support gained for our approach to Laval through the
Louisville - Montpellier Sister Cities Committee and the Lexington- Deauville
Sister Cities Committee. Letters were also sent informing the French Embassy in
Washington, DC and the American Embassy in Paris of our actions. Unfortunately,
the Mayor of Laval sent his regrets stating that Laval was involved with several
other Sister Cities arrangements and did not feel that she could adequately
support another relationship.
Dr. Charles Parks, current President of the local
Friendship Force, carried a letter of invitation to open a dialogue with the
City of Cottbus, Germany. Unfortunately, in his brief visit to the City of
Cottbus, Dr. Parks did not have the opportunity to give our letter and
information concerning Owensboro to government officials. We have been sent a
video on Cottbus and have contacts both in the states and in Germany who are
willing to help us establish connections if we wish to pursue this relationship.
Although we have remained in touch with our contacts, no further action has been
taken to approach Cottbus. A video tape is available of this city.
Sister Cities Committee Member, Ms. Rhonda McEnroe
entertained Italian visitors from the Mantova area in September. After meeting
with members of our community and yourself at City Hall, it was agreed that the
visitors would carry back information about Owensboro and an invitation to the
Mayor of Mantova to open a dialogue. Unfortunately, this is our second attempt
to contact their city government and it has also seemingly not elicited a
response. My Italian contacts tell me that the state of Italian politics at
present are not conducive to such initiatives being responded to by local
government at present. There remains considerable interest in having an Italian
Sister City for Owensboro. I have supplied the Sister City Committee with the
list that I researched on potential Italian cities, our approximate size, on a
river, having an institution of higher education which was not matched with an
American Sister City. We may still see future approaches in this direction.
Our contact with the Czech Republic, City of Olomouc
resulted in an invitation to visit from Mayor Milan Horinek. The time frame for
this initial fact finding visit was scheduled for Dec. 9th-16th. The Czech
Embassy in Washington, DC and the American Embassy in Prague has been kept
informed as to the steps taken thus far between our two cities.
The
first official Owensboro delegates were:
Sister Ruth Gehres, President
of Brescia College.
Sister
Ruth was asked to go in the interest of potential programs dealing with
education, both at the college and secondary level. Sister Ruth also established
contact between our respective diocese and found that there were six Ursuline
Sisters in Olomouc.
Alma
Randolph, City of Owensboro Employee and Community Relations Specialist.
Ms. Randolph has served as a local government elected official and has
served on the board of several community organizations. She was responsible for
looking at areas of both potential government employee exchanges (such as
technical advisors or interns) and gaining an overview of medical capabilities.
Mr.
Larry Mayfield, President of National City Bank, Owensboro.
Mr. Mayfield is well acquainted with the development of private business in our
area. As a member of our Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, he was able to
observe potential common commercial interests.
Mr.
Rodney Berry, Director of Riverpark Center for the Performing Arts.
Mr. Berry is familiar with the art groups in our area including theater groups,
Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Fine Arts Museum, Owensboro Area Museum,
International Bluegrass Music Association, etc. He was looking for potential
exchange connections for both our
performers and exhibits. Mr. Berry was also interested in making connections for
potential projects with our National Distance Learning Center
(telecommunication).
Mr.
Burley Phelan, Director of Tourism for Owensboro and Daviess County.
Mr. Phelan has a wide knowledge of local, regional and the State of Kentucky
natural and man-made attractions. He was able to observe for potential
cooperation between our respective festivals, events and attractions.
Mr.
William R. West, Executive Director of Owensboro Sister Cities.
It was and is my responsibility to promote our Sister City relationships and
report back to our Mayor, City Commission and Sister City Committee. I also act
as a contact for Owensboro Community College.
The reports of these delegates
were made to you orally on the evening of December 27th and their written
reports are attached verbatim. It was the recommendation from the delegation
that the City of Owensboro proceed to develop a relationship with Olomouc.
Tentative plans are being worked on to allow you to make an
official visit to Olomouc in June, 1994. Hopefully, we will find interest in the
community to have several community interest groups represented with you on this
trip. The Czech delegation is to make a return visit during the first half of
1994, hopefully, just preceding the Sister Cities International Conference in
July. We should have adequate time to prepare for receiving the group from
Olomouc.
In conjunction with the Sister Cities Conference in
Louisville, plans are underway to invite soccer players from Olomouc to join
with an Owensboro Youth Soccer Team to participate in the Sister Cities
International World Soccer Youth Cup competition sponsored by Mastercard during
the July conference. Mr. Keith Fuqua at Texas Gas representing Owensboro Youth
Soccer has been contacted and they are ready and eager to help in this effort.
Mr. Fuqua has already attended a meeting in Louisville concerning these plans. I
have affirmed that due to our being a member of Sister Cities International, and
our beginning relationship with Olomouc, both cities are approved to participate
in this international event.
I have contacted both Mayor Milan Horinek and Palacky
University Rector Josef Jarab since our return from our visit. The Chamber of
Commerce has been asked to schedule a Rooster Booster Breakfast around the
Sister Cities topic. The video you viewed concerning Olomouc would be used to
provide an overview in conjunction with an introduction of the idea of having a
Sister City and the announcement concerning the Sister Cities International
Youth Soccer Cup participation by Owensboro.
There is much work to do in order to recruit commercial
interest in this relationship as well as setting up secondary and post secondary
student exchanges. Technical exchanges, possible USIA Grant funding for joint
training programs (government, business), the Olomouc American Information
Center potential for an Owensboro presence are also concepts which need to be
worked on beginning immediately.
Considering the broad ramifications of this initiative to
bring Owensboro closer toward realizing that we are part of the global
community, I am hopeful that others, like yourself, will be drawn to support our
plans through the Sister Cities program. There will be a conscientious effort to
have all segments of our community able to benefit from our Sister Cities
relationships.
Sincerely,
William R. West
Executive Director
ADDENDUM:
Developed background material packet for Olomouc delegation to take along for
December meeting. Thia information will be supplimented for the group going to
Olomouc in June. A copy of this document was put into the hands of the Kentucky
Sister Cities State Coordinator.
Coordinated arrangements for visit with Olomouc City Hall.
Spoke to Young At Heart group on September 20th and Computer Users group on Oct.
18th concerning the Owensboro Sister Cities program.
Worked through Premium Allied Tool to have Owensboro
Chamber of Commerce videos put into European format and the Cottbus, Germany and
various Olomouc videos put into U.S. format.
Was interviewed by Owensboro Messenger - Inquirer, local TV
and radio stations and Kentucky Radio Network concerning our beginning Sister
City approach with Olomouc.
Worked with Livingston Travel to make travel arrangements
for Olomouc visit. Checked with respective Embassies, other U.S. cities having
Czech Sister Cities (Chicago - Prague, Dallas - Brno, Carlsbad,CA - Karlovy
Vary), the C.D.C. and the U.S. Navy Director for Cultural Affairs for pertinent
information.
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